10 Best Windows Tools This Week [May 26th]

While this week didn’t see many app announcements and release, couple of good applications did pop out. Furthermore, we are also showcasing some software that came out earlier this month, but couldn’t get a mention.

This week we’ve two applications that will let you analyze and protect your network, a tool that will safeguard you from keylogging malware, extensions to enhance the features of Firefox and Chrome, and more.

Desktop Software

Popular Security firm Sophos has released Sophos Essential Network Firewall. The suite is to be used to put an extra layer of security – offering you a choice whether you want to tweak the default network settings or use a virtual layer on your router/modem. Interestingly, Sophos Essential Network Firewall lets you block packets of data originating from a specific location. It also has exciting features for VPN.

Web browsers facilitate the option to save the passwords within the browser. This handy feature spares you from having to write down the password every time you visit a website. However, these passwords are hidden behind dots and asterisk – making sure they are not visible to the user. There is an option to know the password, but you have to dig down the settings to get there. ISeePass is a bookmarklet -a JavaScript that sits on your bookmark bar and triggers defined actions when you click on them, that can reveal the password in just a click.

Capsa is a network analysis tool that helps you monitor your WLAN (Wifi) and LAN networks. The analysis tool can also be used to study various network protocols, and look into the data flowing in and out of the system. Furthermore, Capsa is also a diagnosis tool that can automatically fix most of the common issues. The program is available for free, however you will need a license key to run it. The key can be obtained from the website for free. Using Capsa you can also check how many devices are connected to the network, and detailed information about those device.

You must have heard about keyloggers – the programs that capture all your keyboard stroke (some even capture mouse movements, clicks, webcam and other things). While most Anti-Virus suites can detect the presence of anti logging software, that is of course not a full proof system. A nice solution is KeyScrambler Personal. The nifty tool scrambles everything you write ensuring that all the data are scrambled. It supports over 25 browsers and 170 applications.

Browser extension

Many apps on Android offer floating buttons that provide you easy access to an app or some function of the app. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a similar option on our browsers as well? At least if you are into music and use Google Music service, you can have that option. Music Bubbles provides you several playback options – play/resume and ability to go to the next or previous track. You can also rate the song from within the flying button.

We have talked about F.lux application before. For a refresher, F.lux changes monitor’s screen color as the day progresses, making it favorable for your eyes. However, if Web browsing is all what you do — or want the color changes to occur on, you can take G.lux out for a spin. It offers several color presets, however, unlike F.lux it doesn’t automatically switches the color. Though, the developer says it will be added soon. It’s not perfect, but if you’re a Chromebook user, this is as good as it gets.

As awesome as the Web is, it too has enough annoying things waiting at every corner. Do Not Disturb is an extension available for Chrome that lets you disable widgets, surveys, pop-ups, and other intrusive elements.

Firefox’s new Australis sports a very minimal interface. Over the last few months, it has stripped down several more things to make the browser more light and plain. But, if you want to strip even more things, The Fox, Only Better add-on will do that job for you.

Addon list Dumper is an add-on for Firefox that provides you with more detailed information about other add-ons you have installed on the browser. It also gives you information about the build number of the browser and system it is installed on.

This Firefox add-on makes sure to close all the idle tab on the browser. Many a times we leave a tab or two open. Give it some time, and you will have dozens of tabs hogging space on the browser. Having tabs closed automatically will save memory. The extension allows you to set time after which you want an idle tab closed.

We all have that one cool friend (or in some cases, many of them), who won’t stop sending you Farmville and other app invites. Thank goodness, Facebook is aware of such things. Hence it lets you block invites from specific individuals. Go to the blocking section of settings and put the name of your friends in the ‘block app invites from’ box.

Manish Singh Ex-Author Manish is an Engineering graduate in Computer Science but spends more time in writing about technology. He has written for a number of Indian and international publications including BetaNews, BGR India, WinBeta, MakeTechEasier, MediaNama, and Digit magazine among others. When not writing, you would find him ranting about the state of digital journalism on Twitter.